Draft-rigging.



W. H. POTTER. 7

DRAFT RIGGING.

APPLIGATION IILBD SEPT. e, 1911.

1,020,445, Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

WITNESSES: v 4 mi-mu INVENTOR M m B MZlia/m wife I S y M Al/omey UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. POTTER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

DRAFT-RIGGING.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. POTTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDraft-Rigging, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in draft rigging, the object of theinvention being to provide improved means which prevent the couplingfrom being drawn out of the draft rigging even though the bolt or thekey, or some other part of the rigging should break.

A further object is to provide in a draft rigging, a spring-pressedblock or blocks positioned at the side or sides of a coupling andadapted to be engaged by a shoulder or shoulders on the draw bar of acoupling, should the coupling be disconnected from the rigging in anyway so as to prevent the coupling from being drawn out, and there byprevent accidents which would and do result from such occurrences.

WVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction and combinations and arragements ofparts, as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out inthe claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1, is a plan view illustrating myimprovements in normal posit-ion. Fig. 2, is a view in longitudinalsection taken at one side of the coupler. Fig. 3, is a sectional planview showing the parts in the position they would occupy in the eventthe key should break. Fig. 4, is a view in side elevation of Fig. 3.Fig. 5, is a detail perspective view of one of the blocks 13.

The numeral 1, represents a longitudinal channel which is adapted to besecured to the car structure in any approved manner, and in this channelthe draw bar 2 of an ordinary coupling 3 is positioned. To the rear endof the draw bar 2, a strap 4 is secured by a bolt 5, and nut 6. In thestrap 4:, a coiled spring 7 is located and through the strap, a key 8 ispositioned and against which one end of the spring bears. The key 8projects through slots 9 in the sides of channel 1, and is secured bynuts 10 to the longitudinal rods 11 of the draft rigging.

The channel 1, at opposite sides of the draw bar 2, is made withlaterally project- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 6, 1911.

Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

Serial No. 647,953.

ing pockets 12, in which blocks 13 are adapted to move. These blocks 13are provided with flat springs 14, which press them into engagement withthe sides of draw bar 2, and said blocks are provided with wearingplates 15, which may be replaced if desired. Blocks 13, while they serveto center the coupling, their function is primarily to prevent theremoval of the coupling should a part of the draft rigging break.

The draw bar 2 is made with lateral enlargements 16 which, when any partof the draft rigging gives away, will strike the blocks 13, and saidblocks will hold the coupling in the channel as shown clearly in Fig. 3.In this figure I show the key 8 broken, but of course, the bolt 5 may bedisconnected or some other part of the rigging break, which, if myimproved blocks were not provided, would permit the coupling to be drawnout of the channel, when it would fall down on the track, and not onlydisconnect cars, but derail those following, which commonly occurs withrigging now in use. lVhile I have shown two of these blocks 13, it isapparent that one would perform the function to a certain degree, but Iprefer two because of the centering action, and various changes might bemade in the general form and arrangement of parts described withoutdeparting from my invention, and hence I do not limit myself to theprecise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make suchchanges and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope ofthe appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1.. In a draft rigging, the combination with a channel, of a couplingmounted longitudinally in the channel, and a spring: pressed blockbearing against the side of the draw bar of the coupling, and saidcoupling having a shoulder in rear of said block adapted to engage theend of the block when the coupling becomes detached from its rigging,and prevent the coupling from being drawn out of the channel,substantially as described.

2. In a draft rigging, the combination with a channel, of a car couplinghaving its draw bar positioned centrally in the channel, pockets in theopposite sides of the channel, blocks in said pockets, springs pressingsaid blocks against the sides of the draw bar, and shoulders on saiddraw bar in rear of the blocks adapted to engage the ends of theblockswhen the coupling becomes detached from its rigging, and prevent thecoupling from being drawn out of the channel, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a draft rigging, the combination with a channel having pockets inits sides, of a coupling having its draw bar positioned centrally in thechannel, blocks in said pockets having flat faces bearing against the0pposite sides of the draw bar springs in said pockets pressing saidblocks against the draw bar, enlargements on the sides of the draw barnormally spaced from the blocks, and adapted when the coupling becomesdetached from its riggingto engage said blocks and prevent the couplingfrom being drawn out of the channel, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM H. POTTER. Witnesses R. H. KRENKEL, CHARLES E. Porrs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

